The hunting and ecological value of the traditional olive grove

The hunting and ecological value of the traditional olive grove

Ecological relationships of olive groves with their environment will be very driven to managements that farmers of their soil and their trees. The landscape of olive groves in pre-20th-century Seville must have been very different in these respects than it is today. In the olive grove is not usually find much flora which is not own olive trees, or not much wildlife, if it isn't passing for feeding or reach other places. Most animals in territories of olive groves are the rabbit and the Hare, as well as partridges, pigeons and doves. Interestingly, they are all animals in hunting interest, and it is that people of olive grove is usually people fond of hunting. In this way, we can say that olive is hunting scenario since these animals are in los olivos a territory where it is easier to escape predators by hiding it between their trunks, or to get food since olives are a true delicacy for these birds. This activity reinforces, as well as the processes that occur around the olive grove (including scallions), the relationship of man with his environment, in an attempt to control the nature of the man.

There are also references to the presence of owls, thrushes, Kestrel or quiquilis, as well as sea urchins, a Fox, and various species of snakes and other snakes, including the viperine snake.

There are currently studies on the influence of the olive grove management styles on bird communities. These investigations reflect the great ecological value of olive groves worked traditionally characterized by greater environmental diversity, greater allotment of the crop and minor intensification of management with respect to intensive olive.

The biodiversity of the olive groves increases when, along with this, streams with forests or boundaries of Mediterranean scrub, where you can develop some thick vegetation. Add to this list of birds some amphibians that can shelter looking for moisture as the common toad, Green Frog, salamander, reptiles such as snakes or common lizard, mammals such as rabbit, Fox, Badger, polecat, Mongoose, etc.

The Mediterranean scrub that is usually associated with the olive grove, above all because in the field are used as hedges natural, to delimit boundaries and protect the plots, are the prickly pear (Opuntia maximum), Myrtle (Mirtus comunis), palmito (Camaerops Humilis,), etc. In the streams forming reeds from Arundo Donax, and appears the nea is easy (Typha latifolia) as well as plants that until not long ago ate in Seville as the watercress (Roripa nastrurtium and Apium nodiflorum).

Olive groves are often delimited by any given Linde which are generally properties without walls or walls. An example of this are the rock piles, piles of stone gathered on agricultural land. They huddle for release to the soil of stones and get more productive land. This term is also used to describe the walls that separate farms. In some cases, the edge is bounded by own accidents of topography, such as ravines or roads.

Text taken from: traditional knowledge in the Seville olive grove. Ethnography of the olive Chamomile and Gordal Sevillana.